


Forward

by LifeOfTheParty



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe Lance - Freeform, Angst, Black Paladin Lance (Voltron), Fluff, Healing, Keith has a small crush, M/M, One-Sided Keith/Lance (Voltron), shance, sort of character death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 00:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18840235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifeOfTheParty/pseuds/LifeOfTheParty
Summary: Lance perishes protecting the rest of them from the inter-dimensional comet unbeknownst to them. After a man claiming to be Lance steps out of the cryopod acting like the Black Paladin, the team receives some tragic news and finds a way to work through it.Shance fic, less angsty than it sounds





	1. Selfless

Shiro doesn’t know what to think when he and his teammates are roused from dinner by the Castle alarm. Lance is uncharacteristically the first to arrive to the briefing room and begins to bark out orders over comms like he’s done it a million times over. “Keith, Pidge! You two provide air support, Averus has an incredibly thin atmosphere and you two can take out the airships with ease.” He notices the commanding look his friend takes as he addresses himself and his fellow Paladins. “Keith, Hunk. Suture and freeze the fault lines as much as possible while the natives board their crafts. The Princess and I will provide cover in case the Avulsions are attacked.” Lance’s gaze pierces each of his bewildered team members and the man sighs and softens his rigid features. “I’m sorry that there’s been little time to rest, you’ve all been doing so great.” Shiro shudders at the comfort the tone brings him and notices how Lance’s gaze seems to dote on him.  _ What was going on? _

 

Pidge beat his internal musings to the bunch and scoffs, ignoring the shocked glances the rest of team bore from the overfamiliar use of their leader’s first name. “Okay  _ sir _ , are you crazy? Did you not stay in the healing pod long enough after that comet incident? Besides, Blue’s the only one who can freeze things.” Her doubt is met by an amusement from the chocolate haired man,

 

“I’ve healed  _ fine _ , thank you for your concern. And yes Pidgeon, I am completely aware which is why I’m sending Keith.” He taps his helmet before continuing. “Coran, ‘Lura, did you copy me on the plan?” Lance’s face grows irate at the response he receives. “Who do I- Coran now is not the time to lecture me on Altean editicate. There are real people dying with real problems and as far as I’m concerned your duty is primarily to them. We can chat about informalities  _ after  _ you and the Princess get everyone out of there safely. Got it?” Shiro heavily wants to ask Lance, inquire as to ‘who do you think you are?’ while screaming his head off, but he can’t bring himself to. Especially not when his teammate focuses his gaze intently on him and smiles brightly. “Babe, as devastatingly handsome as you look in black I’m going to need my armor back.” The foreign look of absolute adoration Shiro’s on the receiving end of doesn’t help him regain composure. 

 

Keith is the first to break the awkward silence, and laughs uncomfortably. “You’ve lost it haven’t you?” The others are looking at Shiro, clearly wondering what his assessment of the situation was. If only he himself knew.

 

Takashi shakes his head and opens his mouth to speak, only to be cut off again by a slightly annoyed Lance. “What is going on with all of you? The Castle alarms are blaring and suddenly it’s time to play twenty questions and try on each other’s armor?” Everyone’s expressions only grow more perturbed when their teammate looks down at himself and then huffs. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why am I in Keith’s outfit?” Shiro notices how genuinely confused the man was and his mind starts firing rapidly with concern. 

“Lance, are you feeling alright? Everyone’s in their correct uniforms. I think you may still be a little concussed.” He recoils slightly at the sharp glare he receives in turn. 

 

“I’m not the one screwing around while a planet is crumbling. Are all of  _ you  _ alright?” The way the room flinches at the unfamiliar sharpness in his tone is unsettling. “Look, I don’t care what’s going on right now. We can work it out after our mission.” He turns to leave towards the Black Lion’s hanger and stops halfway with a quiet grunt of frustration and calls over his shoulder. “I’m going to need my bayard back babe. I’ve got Keith’s.” The former Blade member pulls out his own red one and shoots an inquisitive look at Lance who was trying to hand him another. “Give Shiro back his bayard, or give it to Allura if he’s feeling like sitting out this one. We need to move.” No one speaks for a beat, so much isn’t adding up.

 

Coran and the Princess arrive with looks of frustration on their faces. “You all are lucky that the planet’s population was quickly and safely evacuated by the Rebels. Is there a-” She turns to glare at each one in turn and stops with a wide eyed look as her eyes fall on the man in Blue armor. “I don’t understand, what are you doing here?” The rest of Voltron shoots Coran questioning looks that are met with an equally confused shrug.

 

Lance, for his part, seems to be perpetually annoyed if his slight scowl was anything to go by. “We would have been there, but for some reason everyone had decided to mix up their roles today.” He gestures to his fellow companions as if it explained everything. 

 

Allura steps closer cautiously, as if sensing a possible threat. Shiro knows the rest of the team can see the shift in demeanor as well and starts to think that it would explain Lance’s strange behavior if he was some sort of magic duplicate. Everyone inches in closer, preparing to protect the Princess at all costs. To their surprise, she tells them to stand down and demands Shiro hand his bayard to Lance. The latter scoffs good naturedly. “I’m all for what’s mine is yours, but I think she means  _ my  _ bayard. What’s gotten into you ‘Kashi?” Shiro wordlessly hands his weapon to the man, fighting the way his stomach churns warmly at the nickname. 

 

He’s left slack-jawed before he can process his conflicting feelings upon Lance’s hand making contact with the bayard. The others gasp as it takes the form of twin black scimitars that seem far too comfortable in his hands for a man who’s primarily sniper support. To his credit, Lance only cocks his head lightly in confusion and shifts the weapons back to its original form. “Huh, I was going for my mace.” Shiro stops at that, his  _ what _ ?

 

Allura continues to eye Lance as though he’s grown a second head, which to be fair that’s what most of the room did as well. “Lance... What’s the last thing you remember before coming out of the pod?” She shushes Coran before he can start prattling off about how the pods were functioning fine and it’s not the machine’s fault. 

 

Shiro watches the man’s face go pensive for a moment before gripping his head violently and shouting in agony. “Fuck!” Everyone seems to instantly forget that the person before them could have very well been a clever ruse, but no one paid that any mind as six pairs of hands immediately reach out to stabilize him. His gut twists at the horrifying screams sounding through the chamber, he wants nothing more than to ease whatever’s ailing his friend. Lance continues to cry out hoarsely as he’s escorted to the medbay, clinging onto Hunk as he carries him like his life depends on it and with the amount of pain he seems to be in... Shiro’s hoping that it’s not in a literal case. 

 

“I’ve got ya buddy, we’ll get you back in a pod in no time. Just hang in there a little longer.” The gentle giant’s continued murmurs of reassurance seem to do the trick, as the screaming comes to a complete stop.

 

Lance shakes himself away from Hunk who’s hurt is evident on his face and turns to Allura with a frightened expression. “You all died. _I-_ He died. What is happening to me, ‘Llura?” His eyes scan each person with a look of sorrow and guilt, falling even heavier as he rests them on Shiro. “I have some of his last memories… he loved you all so much.” The Princess’ tear rolling down her face doesn’t go unnoticed. 

 

Coran places a gentle hand on her shoulder and softly asks her what’s wrong. She shakes her head and refuses to meet the other’s gazes. “Our Lance is dead, I can sense it in his quintessence.” Her words strike a cord in Shiro’s heart, there was no way that could be true. He was standing in front of them wasn’t he?

 

Pidge shakes her head angrily, refusing to believe it. Lance shoots her a sorrowful smile, one so devoid of happiness that Shiro wishes he’ll never have to see it again. “It’s true, he died after getting everyone to safety back with the comet.” He takes a shaky breath, not looking remotely ready to continue speaking but presses on anyway. “My team…the Alteans had been ready for us. Everything happened so fast, we all knew if things went tits up to meet back at our Lions but they had knocked those out first. I barely was able to call Black to me before the comet crashed into us. I felt the other Lions cry out for their Paladins through him.” Tears silently fall and Shiro wants nothing more than for this to not be real. “When I got out of my pod, I had thought maybe it was all some sort of horrible dream and dismissed it when the mission came up. Hoping.” Lance allows himself to be embraced by Allura as she tries to convince him that it wasn’t his fault, but he doesn’t return the gesture. Shiro couldn’t blame him.

 

Coran clears his throat after wiping away at his eyes. “It seems as though your collision with the comet transported you to our Universe, a place where our Lance had already…” He trails off, no one caring for him to finish his sentence. 

 

Shiro tries to silently convey to his teammates to stop looking at Lance like he was responsible for this. He understands their anger, Hell he’s probably beating himself up the most right now. It should have been  _ his  _ job to escort everyone out, not his teammates. Lance breaks away from the hug gently, patting Allura on the back in a comforting manner. When he turns to face the rest of them, Shiro’s surprised to see that there’s no hint of surprise or anger at the pointed looks he was receiving. Just sorrow. He asks to be left alone for a bit to process things, something that Coran and the Princess think is wise for the whole team.

 

-

 

Hunk, Pidge, and Keith had left the room without so much as a goodbye and followed shortly after by Allura and Coran which left the two of them alone for quite some time. Takashi knows he should just leave, but something’s holding him rooted to the spot. Lance picks himself up off the couch and heads towards Shiro’s direction, staring at him as though he were a ghost. “I know they’re going to need...time. We all are.” The shaky breath he takes in before speaking next wheezes lightly, something not unnoticed by Shiro. “I... I don’t know why I have his memories but they’re telling me that like my-” Another shaky breath follows with Shiro’s skipped heartbeat. “You, you can’t blame yourself for this. He wouldn’t have and I don’t. I’m not sure what this means for Voltron or the team, but I’m happy to help in anyway is needed.” Selfless. Takashi hates how selfless Lance could be and he definitely hates that it seems to be a multi-universal constant. He hates himself for not recognizing those warm butterflies for what they were before their Lance’s sacrifice and tries his best to ignore the thoughts of what could have happened had he realized sooner.

 

This Lance seems to pick up on his sudden spiral and laughs softly, but not in a way that Shiro feels offended. “Stop it, your emotional face journey is telling me that you’re not heeding my words.” The latter only nods, too afraid to say anything without breaking down like the others surely were. “We’re never going to know what we might or might not have been able to do, I know it’s hard but we can’t change what’s happened. The comet, despite it feeling like the universe’s way of giving me the finger, must have brought me here for a reason.” Shiro can tell that Lance is saying it more to believe it himself than anything but nods again nonetheless.

 

“I’m sorry, I just… I know seeing us must be hard. You don’t have to be okay for everyone else’s sake, I’m here for you.” He doesn’t know where the sudden thought of  _ ‘Let me be there for you, like  _ he  _ was.’  _ comes from but he hastily shuts that down and feels guilty. “Were we…” Despite his internal demands to say nothing further his mouth betrays him and leaves him mortified. Thankfully, Lance doesn’t seem further upset and only sighs.

 

“We were on our way to be, both of us just danced around each other with the occasional stolen kiss and stupid pet names. I think we were too afraid at putting the team at risk, but looking back on it I should’ve just said fuck it.” He chuckles sheepishly and scratches the back of his neck. “Sorry, look at me not taking my own advice. I don’t mean to overstep, but I do know that your Lance cared about you in a similar fashion and chose to hide it. Was one of his last regrets.” Shiro’s breathing deepens and his face must be portraying just how much impact that emotional bomb had on him as the man hastily apologizes and begins to retreat. He barely notices Lance slip out of the room before he lets himself cry silently. 

  
  



	2. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura approaches Shiro about something important while the team tries to repair itself.

Shiro isn’t sure where Lance is drawing his unending patience from, but he makes sure to express to the other man frequently how much he appreciates it. It’s been a little under a month since this Lance arrived and the team, save for Allura and himself, continue to treat the poor man like he’s the one responsible for their Lance’s death. Unfortunately, he and the Princess have been unsuccessful in their attempts to convince them otherwise, something that the two have continuously grown annoyed with. 

 

All missions have been put aside to allow time for the adjustment but they could not hold off forever. Lance, not wanting to be the target of more unwanted glares, has remained soft-spoken and recluse, only answering the questions bitteraly asked of him with much more levity and understanding than Shiro knew he himself could never achieve. The man in question is quietly eating beside Allura, having just been brushed off by an uncharacteristically rude Hunk after complimenting tonight’s meal. The Princess sighs from next to him as she notices the bitter gazes the others were shooting their new arrival and clears her throat as she rises from the dinner table. 

 

The noise captures Shiro’s and the rest of the team’s attention as she begins speaking in a commandeering manner. “This has gone on long enough, you can’t punish Lance for something he hasn’t done.” She shoots Pidge a furious glare when the latter opens her mouth to protest, likely something along the lines of ‘But that isn’t Lance.’

 

Shiro’s not surprised when his guess turns out to be correct as Allura continues to speak, though he is slightly concerned at the way Lance seems to shrink at the conversation topic. “No, this is Lance. He might not be from our Universe but that gives  _ none  _ of you the right to treat him as though he’s a pariah. In all of your selfish loathing, did you ever stop to think how much  _ he  _ must be hurting? We may have lost a Paladin and friend, but he lost his entire team.” His entire Universe remains unsaid as she glances sympathetically at a crestfallen Lance. Shiro fights the urge to pull the other man into a hug. “Now you lot are acting as if we’re the victims and it’s childish. Our Lance was a great man and will be dearly missed, but through whatever grace we earned he’s not  _ truly  _ lost. He has proven immeasurably patient with your obnoxious attitudes towards him, something I know  _ he  _ would be furious about.” When Allura falls silent Shiro gazes at his friend’s faces and watches as her words sink in. A myriad of emotions ranging from anger, loss, shock and finally resting on remorse passes before the tears start.

 

Lance is sitting as still as a statue and looking ready to flee until he’s pushed back by a bone crushing hug from Hunk and lets out a quiet ‘oof.’ The larger man begins babbling something Takashi hopes is an apology as he can’t make out the words through the weeping man’s sobs, but judging by the way Lance was nodding and whispering back to him he assumes he was right. Pidge follows next, looking more sheepish than Shiro’s ever seen her. Her damn breaks at the soft ‘I forgive you’ and throws her arms around the remaining parts of the man’s body not currently being embraced. 

 

Coran, as it turns out, had been holding back a wail of tears before rushing over to the ever growing mash of bodies after a stern look from Allura. Lance’s mood seems to improve after that and Shiro can’t help but wonder if the two of them were as close in Lance’s Universe as they were in this one. Judging by the way the man makes a valiant effort to personally hug the Altean, despite his carry-ons, he thinks it’s safe to say it was something very similar. Keith looks uncharacteristically abashed and is blushing lightly as he watches the group. Shiro gives him a thumbs up when he clears his throat to speak. “I uh, would join but I’m not sure-” Allura cuts him off and drags him as well as Shiro over to join the pile that’s already radiating too much heat.

 

Shiro tries to catch a glimpse of the man at the center of it but is thwarted by the constant shuffling between them. He barely makes out the continuous flows of apologies and promises to catch up/’get to know each other’ as he and Allura exchange glances that seem to say ‘finally.’ 

 

-

 

After the cry-fest broke up, Keith nervously had asked Lance if he wanted to train together and Shiro swears his heart skips at the look of joy that radiantly overtook the man’s face. The others had decided to tag along as well with Takashi and Allura promising to catch up to them later. She was less than subtle at asking him to stay back for a moment but he’s sure the others were too preoccupied to notice. He’s a little anxious at the conflicted look she has on her face, clearly not wary on the topic she’s about to broach. “Thank you for waiting, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.” She motions for him to sit and he complies with a nod.

 

“Of course, what’s on your mind Princess?” Shiro stops his hands from twitching, despite the amount of effort it takes.

 

Allura bites her lip for a moment as she proceeds. “It’s about the Lions...Voltron itself really.” His nerves are replaced by a sudden burst of panic and worry, had something happened while they were inactive? Seemingly sensing his emotions, she shakes her head and pats his hand as a comforting gesture. “Nothing bad per say.” He waits for her to continue and sighs after a few moments pass and nothing more is said.

 

“Whatever it is we can deal with it.” Shiro means it too, there’s nothing he won’t do for his team.

 

Allura nods with a sigh. “This Lance is...well he doesn’t seem compatible with any of the Lion’s other than Black. We have yet to test it, but when I visited him in the hangars earlier he said none of the others would chat with him like they used to. I had asked him if he’d ever tried piloting one of the others and told me that the only ones from his universe to pilot another Lion was myself and Keith.” Shiro’s not sure what he had expected but it definitely wasn’t this. If Lance could no longer pilot Red or Blue then... Allura’s hand squeezing his snaps him from his spiraling thoughts and addresses him softly. 

 

“It doesn’t have to mean anything, you heard him those first few vargas. He only wishes to help in anyway he can and even caught me as I was leaving the hangar earlier to remind me of that. I don’t think he expects you to just give up control.” He’s silent for a few moments before nodding, still not entirely positive on how to react. It’s not as if Shiro doesn’t see how natural of a leader the other man was, even  _ their  _ Lance had displayed an innate ability to command a room after stepping up as the Red Paladin and toning down his behavior.

 

He’s left alone with his thoughts as Allura excuses herself to check on the others and lets out a heavy sigh when the door closes behind her. If he was being honest with himself, there have been several times where he’s considered standing down as the Black Paladin and handing the reins back over to Keith. A pang of guilt hits him as he considers trading off again. He knows he wouldn’t be abandoning the team, he and Coran had both been very effective at providing air-cover as well as supplying battle tactics from the Castle during Keith’s period as the Black Paladin. A period in which Allura had proven herself an incredibly capable Blue Paladin and fighter, something he knows she misses deeply.

 

Shiro’s mind is running a mile a minute as he processes his thoughts. He knows he wants to do what’s best for everyone, and if that thing is something that also benefits him then so be it. He’s allowed to be selfish from time to time. With that in mind, he gets up from his seat and makes his way through the halls with the intent to join his friends while continuing to reflect on the situation. If he were to allow Lance to take over, he would be able to keep an eye on his whole team and protect them, as well as allow the Princess to resume her role with Blue. Keith and Lance had made an incredible team as partners/co-leaders of Voltron, something he knows is capable of happening again.

 

He snaps out of his musings upon reaching the training deck, eyes taking in the site before him with a small amount of disbelief. The pair in question are on simulation level eighteen and taking out the simulated-sentries with devastating accuracy. Lance, with no bayard his own, has twin Altean scimitars borrowed from the combat room while Keith uses his red sword to slash through their enemies like they’re butter. He notices the others smirking at him as he observes the two and Shiro snaps his mouth shut, not knowing when it had even fallen open in the first place. Pidge nudges him and answers a question he hadn’t known he was even going to ask. “They were awkward at first, Keith wasn’t used to Lance being primarily combat and it caused a few hiccups until they got the hang of it.” How long had Shiro been alone with his thoughts? 

 

He turns his attention back to the battle before him and tries in vain to suppress the blush creeping up on him. Keith and Lance had both foregone their shirts as they trained, both sweating and panting as they cleared yet another level. His eyes roam over the latter’s surprisingly muscular torso despite his best effort not to objectify the man. Shiro couldn’t be blamed for the distracting way Lance’s abs tensed as he grappled with a sentry, nor could you blame him for noticing the strain of skin over toned biceps as the man brings his sword overhead with a final swing to his enemy. Allura pokes his side with a knowing grin, effectively ending his ogling session. Shiro turns to look at her sheepishly and has the grace to be embarrassed at his friend’s, even Coran’s, identical smirks. The Altean in question laughs at his expression and claps him on the back. “You should have seen Number Four’s reaction as well, was really something!” Shiro furrows his brows in confusion as the others chuckle in response.

 

Hunk, bless him, decides to take pity and loop him on the joke. “Sometime around level 10 Lance decided his shirt was already shredded enough from the bots and discarded it. Keith’s face was hysterical. He was even redder than you!” He laughs as the aforementioned action reoccurs on Shiro’s own face. He changes his mind, screw you Hunk.

 

Pidge nods in agreement. “After he recovered, which took a minute by the way, he demanded to know when Lance had gotten so shredded. Poor guy was so confused.” He hates himself for wondering the same thing, and hates Pidge even more for being able to read his mind. “While we’ve all been treating him like dicks-” Hunk chuckles awkwardly from nearby. “He’s been holed up in the combat and gym rooms going at like the fucking energizer bunny. Apparently he’s not used to being such a scrawny ‘twink’ as he said.” Pidge cackles at the mortified look Shiro knows is taking over his features. Allura and the others were snickering softly and it only furthers his own embarrassment as he imagines Hunk or Pidge explaining to the Alteans what exactly a ‘twink’ is. 

 

Keith lets out a whoop as the buzzer sounds to signify another completed level, only to follow it with a loud ‘boo’ of disappointment as Lance says. “End simulation.” The latter turns to his combat buddy and laughs breathlessly. “We need a break Keith, don’t you go thinking we’re not coming back to this though.” He tosses the other man a towel and Keith catches it with a grin and begins to clean himself up. “I always forget how much of a beast you are with a sword, dude. You have to show me some of those moves you picked up with the Blade.” Shiro catches his brother’s split reaction of surprise and delight at the praise and smiles to himself. Lance always had a way with him. 

 

Keith continues to smile and nods. “Only if you show me how you did that wall thing. How the fuck did you manage to run across the wall like that? Some Naruto stuff right there.” Shiro wishes he could have seen that, because  _ What _ ? 

 

Lance snickers at the comparison as he towels himself off, not that Takashi was looking or anything. “It’s a deal.” He swings his arm over Keith’s shoulder, seemingly unaware the pink tinge over taking the other man’s face, and claps him on the back. “Alright Prince Zuko, let’s grab some food. I didn’t really get to finish eating earlier and we just burned a fuck ton of calories so I’d say we earned it.” Shiro, Hunk and Pidge snort at the nickname while the Alteans raise their eyebrows in confusion. They would never get used to not understanding Earth idioms. 

 

Keith stops mid-walk to shoot Lance a disbelieving eyebrow. “What, no mullet head or dropout?” The latter chuckles softly and shakes his head.

 

“Only when you’re pissing me off. Now come, young Skywalker.” He throws his arm back around the recently freed Keith and continues to guide them out. Shiro doesn’t see his brother’s face at the comment as the two are immediately accosted by a lively Hunk and Pidge commandeering them for their stellar performance.

 

He notices Allura watching the exchange with a delighted smile that Shiro knows he is mirroring. The past month has been incredibly difficult, no one really spoke to one another and when they had it would usually end in a shouting match. This, though, this felt natural. Seeing his teammates getting along again warmed his heart to the point he almost felt like crying out in relief. Shiro laughs loudly as Lance and Keith take it upon themselves to get the other two involved in their light-hearted debate regarding Star Wars and feels his mouth go dry when Lance smiles brightly in his direction. They lock gazes for all of two seconds before the other man turns his attention back to the other three with a devious glint in his eye.

 

Not a moment later, he dashes back into the training room and returns with a bundle of wooden practise swords that he hands to a very confused Hunk, Pidge and Keith. “There’s only one way to settle this.” He takes one of the fake weapons and holds it at a point. “Jedi style.” Shiro can’t help but chuckle as simultaneous looks of delight and recognition cross the other’s face. 

 

While the four of them make lightsaber sound effects, Shiro attempts to explain Star Wars to the Alteans who take to the topic with great interest. It takes a lot of effort not to collapse into laughter at their scandalized looks upon hearing about Luke and Leia’s kiss. He’s about to go into it at how they later discover their relation when he’s interrupted by Lance who’s holding out three more swords with a smile. “It’s not team bonding if it’s not the whole team.” Shiro has to hand it to Lance for knowing exactly what to say in order to rope even the Princess into their silly duel. Allura and Coran take the swords with vigor and charge over to the others yelling what he assumes is an Altean battlecry. 

 

The two men laugh as the remaining Paladins gang up on them, Keith being the only having a small chance against the superstrong aliens. Shiro grips the sword and nods at the look Lance is giving him, one that undoubtedly says ‘Let’s do this.’ With twin shouts, they join their friends in their mock-war. Shiro’s smile doesn’t falter as he clashes his weapon against Coran’s and snickers when the other starts making lightsaber sound effects with the rest of them. He notices Keith, Pidge and Hunk trying in vain to take down Lance and Allura, the duo having teamed up and working in tandem to fight off their aggressors. Shiro makes another ‘whooshing’ noise and takes advantage of Coran’s blind spot, whacking the Altean in the back softly. He grins at the scandalized look he gets in response and nods to the others. “Want to give them a hand?” 

 

With the added bonus of himself and Coran; Allura and Lance still don’t seem to have a difficult time protecting one another. The Princess laughs as Shiro’s lunge barely misses her and parries his blow with her own. “Five on two, a little unfair don’t you think?” He ignores the grin her partner in crime gives them all.

 

“For them? Definitely.” Shiro’s not entirely sure he believes what happens next. One moment, Allura and Lance lock eyes and nod, and then the next himself, Pidge, Hunk, Coran and Keith are knocked away from their targets and left breathless. The pair had somehow managed to stop all five of their swings with joint parries and then dipped slightly as they reversed the momentum of the offending objects over their heads with a push. 

 

Battle ceasing, he and the others start demanding answers from the very amused victors. Allura shrugs with a grin. “I couldn’t very well allow Lance to train alone every night, now could I.” She smiles at the man fondly and Shiro’s a little pleased at the strictly brotherly way the man looks at her in turn. He could do without the pang of guilt for not having offered to train with Lance as well, though. “We’re quite the pair, though Keith and him have gotten further than any of the times he and I had tried. And in a quintant no less.” The pride in her voice lacks any trace of jealousy at having had her record shattered in a day as she compliments the pair who smile sheepishly at the praise before they all split off into different conversations. 

 

Shiro makes his decision in a split second as observes the group before him. Pidge and Hunk, who haven’t spoken to one another in a month unless absolutely required, are animatedly discussing their newly Star Wars incited plans for possible upgrades they could make to the Castle. Keith is happily chatting with Allura, a feat in of itself, about Altean battle styles and how kick-ass it was to see her in action with a sword. Lance, stupidly brilliant Lance, is talking with Coran regarding a film series from his planet that featured similar weapons to the description they gave about lightsabers, and discussing whether or not such munitions were even feasible. His family was whole again. He clears his throat and tries not to wither under the six pairs of eyes now focused on him. “I’m stepping down as Black Paladin.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger sorry! Also, don't think Shiro's being demoted or downgraded, he's still got a very vital role to play in team Voltron!


End file.
